Volatile Organic Compounds in Feminine Hygiene Products Sold in the US Market: A Survey of Products and Health Risks

Details

• Personal Author:
  Batterman S ; Ding N ; Godwin C ; Lin N ; Manuradha Devasurendra A ; Meza-Wilson E ; Park SK
• Description:
  Feminine hygiene products (FHPs) are used on highly permeable and sensitive vaginal and vulvar tissues by many women. These products contain a variety of chemicals, and few regulations require disclosure of their ingredients. The objectives of this study are to identify volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that may be present in these products and to evaluate the potential for exposure and health risk associated with product use. We collected 79 commercially available FHPs, including washes, tampons, menstrual pads, wipes, sprays, powders and moisturizers, and analyzed their composition using purge and trap sampling, thermal desorption, gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy. Exposures and risks were modeled using reasonable upper bound exposure scenarios. The highest VOC concentrations (as total target VOCs) were found in washes, sprays and powders, with median concentrations from 25,000 to 34,000 ng/g. Benzene (maximum: 3,604 ng/g) was detected in 83% of the collected products, and 1,4-dioxane (maximum: 24,354 ng/g) in 50% of the products. VOC composition depended on the FHP type, manufacturer and brand. Products labeled as "organic," "natural," or "for sensitive skin" did not necessarily have lower VOC concentrations. For most FHPs, calculated risks were low; however, menstrual pads had hazard ratios of up to 11, sprays and powders had hazard ratios of up to 2.2 and excess cancer risks of up to 2.1 × 10-6, and washes had excess cancer risks of up to 3.3 × 10-6. Our data suggest that all tested FHPs contained some toxic VOCs, and that risks of using some products should be addressed. We recommend the elimination of toxic ingredients and the disclosure of all chemicals that are used in these products. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Benzene Hazardous Substances Occupational Health Risk Assessment Safety Volatile Organic Compounds Women
• Keywords:
  1,4-Dioxane Author Keywords: Feminine Hygiene Products Exposure Exposure Assessment Health Risk Risk Analysis Toxic Materials VOCs Volatile Organic Compounds
• ISSN:
  0160-4120
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Michigan ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  144
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20070731
• Citation:
  Environ Int 2020 Nov; 144:105740
• Contact Point Address:
  Stuart Batterman, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
• Email:
  stuartb@umich.edu
• CAS Registry Number:
  1,4-Dioxane (CAS RN 123-91-1) ; Benzene (CAS RN 71-43-2)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2021
• Performing Organization:
  University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Environmental International
• End Date:
  20280630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:ea69721210242e0302aa9312eee90d0becdd536bf1e6aea607e0b9af3d45c386dffd60af6baa6e2f2bfddf3cce0145e4b353e51c5ac6eb61f814a4c0131b0d65
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/208901/cdc_208901_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.82 MB ]